Rehab Blues
by IsabelleHayven
Summary: Mimi's in courtordered rehab and she has a story to tell either world or AU.


**Disclaimer:** Don't own RENT ppls...

**Warning:** Mention of drug use

**Note:** Written for challenge

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"I use shoelaces." The dark-haired girl said softly. "Or belts… or anything."

I studied her as we talked about her drug use. Dark curls framed a tired, gaunt face. She looked worn out… far too haggard and old for a girl of twenty-two. I hated these cases… mandatory rehab for people who didn't want it. I had gotten pretty good at detaching myself from this place and the people in its walls. Especially the court-ordered cases. I had to distance myself because, to be frank, a lot of these mandatory cases would up dead, never returning for help by their own choice. Though I stayed distant, I made a pointed effort to be hospitable. Somehow, however, this girl was worming her way into my heart. She always introduced herself by saying 'They call me Mimi' though I haven't a clue who 'they' are.

I cross my legs and folded my hands over my knee. "How are you feeling today, Mimi?"

"Shitty." She replied with a grumble.

I frowned. Mimi was one of Jem's patients which meant she was still getting heroin… which meant she should, physically, feel fine. Jem knew I felt the same way he did: Mandatory cases often started using almost immediately after leaving. There were some cases where it seemed better to not make them go through the violent affects of withdrawal. Mimi was definitely one of those. "I'd like to run a few tests." I told Mimi. She immediately stiffened, probably thinking I didn't know she was still getting drugs. "It's okay." I tried to assure.

"I have AIDS." She said, curling up as small as she could fold those long limbs of hers.

"I know. I give you your AZT, remember?" I grinned and told her again that it would be okay.

She gave me an odd blank expression but allowed me to run the tests.

The results returned a few days later. Of all the things either of us were expecting, the results took us both by surprise. I sat with Mimi feeling torn. "Mimi… I have the test results."

"What's wrong with me now?" She asked, her voice filled with bitterness and self-loathing.

"You're pregnant." When she didn't respond except by staring at me, I began speaking again. "I'm concerned about you continuing to use, Mimi. At the same time, withdrawal could cause you to abort." I babbled about the risks of drug use during pregnancy but I don't know if she even heard me. She would be free to go as of the next day. I wondered what she would do, where she would go. She had told me once that she didn't think her family would want anything to do with her. I offered her some homemade chicken noodle soup just to keep myself busy. I was gratified to see her drink some of the steaming liquid. After a little while, I gave her an assignment, due at group that evening. She had to write a story that she would share.

"So… my story starts out with an octopus…" Mimi began a few hours later, sitting in a circle with a five other patients and myself. Mimi stared at her hands – her nails that she kept painted blue. "His girlfriend called him Red Butler." She added and I couldn't help but wonder where this was headed.

"Like in Rainbow Brite?" One of the other girls asked.

Mimi nodded. "Yeah…" She wrung her hands a bit.

"Please continue." I encouraged when she had fallen quiet for several minutes and the others were beginning to get agitated.

She jumped then nodded. "So, ah… Red Butler and his girlfriend broke up. Girlfriend was too wild for him. So Girlfriend got together with two other girls, Thelma – a beautiful electric eel – and Louise – a slick and wise leatherback turtle. Red Butler got with his best friend, Buddy Blue, a catfish. Not long after that, a mutual friend of theirs died – Jack Daniels, a nurse shark who took care of everyone. But see, Jack had been sick – same thing both Red Butler and Girlfriend had. So anyway… the three girls and the two boys all went to get together. No one really wanted to be alone, y'know? They all ate and got drunk… then Girlfriend and Red Butler went off by themselves. Girlfriend was scared. Really scared… She really loved her family and she didn't want them to get sick too. But Red Butler was already sick like her. So they went and sat together by themselves in this real nice spot on the ocean floor… safe, pretty, covered in moss…"

I sat back, making a few notes, feeling like I was getting further in understanding Mimi than I had in 27 days. She was 'Girlfriend', of that I was certain.

"Anyway, enough with the scenery, right? Red Butler and Girlfriend got… ah… reacquainted." Mimi smirked and the others offered a few hoots and hollers. "But afterwards, Red Butler got mad cuz Girlfriend hadn't changed at all. She was still wild. So they fought a little and she went home to Thelma and Louise and he went home to Buddy Blue. Next day, though, Girlfriend calls him up again. 'Red Butler, I'm scared' she tells him. So he tells her to come over. Buddy Blue isn't home so she just looks at Red Butler and says again that she's scared. He asks if this will really help and she says that it did before. So, like the horny octopusses… er… octopii?" Mimi furrowed her brow then shrugged. "Whatever, they get it on again. This time when it's over, Red Butler wants to be wild too and Girlfriend doesn't know what to think about it but she goes with him. She decides she loves it. When she goes home though, Thelma's there. She and Thelma get into a fight because Thelma is tired of Girlfriend's shit. So… Girlfriend, tired of making everyone suffer, kills herself even though she knew Red Butler would feel bad since it was his second girlfriend to do that." Mimi folded her arms over her chest and sat back, clearly finished with her story.

I blinked, wondering how I'd read into Mimi's story so incorrectly. Unless that was how Mimi had started using… Or maybe she was Red Butler? I meant to ask questions but someone pointed out the time and before I could even mumble that my watch said we still had five minutes, Mimi was out the door.

The next day, Mimi did her best to refuse ceremony and she didn't say goodbye to anyone she didn't have to speak to in order to leave. I prayed I'd see her again when she was ready to quit.

Two days later a young man in a leather jacket came to the center. "I'm here to pick up Mimi Marquez?" He asked me with a similar worn out look in his eyes that Mimi had possessed.

I blinked. "I'm sorry, Mr…."

"Davis. Roger Davis. Though if she talked about me, she might have called me Red Butler…"

I shook his hand then politely told him she had finished her mandated term two days prior. Clearly shaken up, he thanked me then turned to leave. I wanted to ask him to tell me if he heard anything but I couldn't quite bring myself to do it.


End file.
